To Battle the Apocalypse
by GryphonRampant
Summary: The battle of Lavos is nearing, but not after a few more adventures with their Amazon friend. SEQUEL TO THE AMAZON GIRL
1. The End of Time

To Battle the Apocalypse  
Chapter One: The End of Time Gasper, Guru of Time, stood in the center of the place known as the End of Time. Surrounding him were nine youths waiting to change history and save the world. Only seven of them had magick and seven had adequate weapons. "Now, you Gabrielle and Schala. Go into the room behind me." Schala knew what was there; Magus had told him. Gabrielle, however, had no idea. "What's in there?" she asked. "You'll see just go." Gasper replied. Glenn nudged Gabrielle and she went with Schala into the room. "Now, you all have your weapons, correct?" Gasper wanted to know. Everyone held out their most powerful weapons. "Excellent. Now what about Schala and Gabrielle?" "Gabrielle is excellent with a staff. Schala's good; Gabrielle's been teaching." Marle put in. "I've been giving them some lessons with a scythe." Magus added. "I have just the thing." Gasper said. In a flash of white light, two pole- arms appeared. One was a strong looking staff with Amazon decorations; the other was a scythe looking weapon, only there was a blade on both ends (Y'know like Serge's weapon in Chrono Cross?). "But I thought we could only go in parties of three." Lucca pointed out. "That is true. We will find some way to get all of you to Lavos." Gasper said.  
  
* * * "What have we here?" a scarlet Nu asked. "Wow, you're just like the others. I'm guessing the Old One wants me to give you magic. But I see," he looked at Gabrielle. "You already have some. Are you an Enlightened One?" he asked. "No. I'm an Amazon." Gabrielle said. "Ah! Yes, I remember!" Spekkio said. "What? Spekkio changed the subject. "Hey, Princess. Come for some magic, eh?" "Yes." Schala blushed. "Well, you're going to have something I cooked up called Prism magic. You, Amazon, you have Acid already." The girls nodded. "Now think MAGIC and walked around the room clockwise three times." "What? You want us to walk around the room?" Gabrielle asked. "Just do it!" Schala hissed. They ran clockwise around the room three times and then walked back to Spekkio. "Excellent! MAGICO!" he bellowed. Multicolor lights swirled around Schala, while crimson smoke billowed around Gabrielle. "So fortified with magic, wanna try it out?" "Sure!" Gabrielle piped while Schala shook her head. "All right!" Spekkio exclaimed. "Nice one, Gabby." Schala muttered. "Sorry." She winced. Spekkio doused Schala with silver light: a Dark Bomb. Gabrielle shot a small acid ball at Spekkio. Schala threw multicolor mist at Spekkio. Spekkio shot a lightning bolt at Gabrielle. The battle went like this for a quarter-hour until Spekkio slumped down. "You win! Don't this a habit, take this with you." He shoved a bag of bottles into Gabrielle's hands. As they exited, Gabrielle asked, "What are these?" "I don't know. The others might be able to explain." Schala said.  
  
* * * "You beat him?" Marle asked. "Wow! Great job, guys!" "Can you guys tell us what these are?" Gabrielle asked holding up the bag. "Those are elixirs." Crono said. He explained what they did and about battles. "You are ready for the journey to Lavos." Gasper announced. There was a scream of something not human and eerie green and blue lights flickered. When the light receded all was dark. Even the pillars of light were out. Lucca lit a fire in her palm and tossed a flame into the lamp in the center of the room. "The Gates!" Robo cried. "They're all out!" "What?" Lucca demanded. "The Gates are no longer operational!" Robo repeated. "Lavos's power has made them turn off!" "How is that possible, didn't he create them?" Crono asked. "I do not understand this, too. But we still have Epoch to take us to Lavos." Robo pointed out. "Oh, no. We are not cramming all the weapons, items, and all of us into Epoch." Marle spat. "No fun when squished." Ayla put in. "There may be a power spot on top of your mountain, Gabrielle." Gasper said. "What?" "The Black Omen can be seen from the peak of the mountain. This way all nine of you can go to Lavos." Gasper explained. "You can get to Lavos that way. It's risky but it's worth a shot." "Why is it risky?" Magus wanted to know. "The mountain is quite tall, it'll take weeks to climb it. Then you have to fight Lavos." Gasper told him. "It might not work at all." "Let's try it." Gabrielle said. "The Amazons can help us with the mountain climbing equipment." She said. "Sounds good to me." Crono murmured. "Just as long as we kill Lavos and get it over with." Magus put in.  
  
* * * Gabrielle couldn't have been happier to return home. Her people greeted her with a feast in her and her friends honor. Gabrielle's people got the tale of the traitor Amazons from their chief's lips. After that the feast and party began. Lavos left their minds for the evening as they danced, ate, and had fun. Glenn and Gabrielle got to have the time together they needed to talk about their relationship. Crono and Marle got such time as well. "You know what?" Glenn shouted over the music. "What?" Gabrielle yelled. "I love you." He replied, still shouting. Gabrielle grinned. "I love you, too." She called back. They kissed several times before they stopped. Crono and Marle escaped to a guest cabin to have their conversation. Outside the window, Gabrielle, Glenn, Magus, and Ayla caterwauled the sappiest love ballad until Crono threw the contents of the water basin out the window. Ayla, Gabrielle, and Glenn shrieked when the freezing cold water hit them; only Magus had dodged it. "Can't two people just TALK?" Crono demanded. "Are you sure that's not all y'all are doing?" Gabrielle inquired slyly. "Very sure." Marle replied before Crono could snap at her. "Now may we have some privacy?" "Aw, you no fun." Ayla complained. The four left to join the others. The party lasted long into the night. They all slept in Gabrielle's cabin and reminisced about the last few months. They awoke at dawn from habit and asked the Amazons to equip them with snow gear. When they were thoroughly taught and equipped, they decided to stay one more day in the village to rest and relax before their quest began. "There's a stream around here." Gabrielle told Glenn as she brushed her horse. "Want to have lunch there?" "Sure." He had been leaning against the stable doorframe watching her work. They packed a lunch and after telling everyone where they'd be at, they hiked to the stream. "How about here?" Gabrielle asked, pointing to a large willow. Glenn nodded and spread the blanket over the grass. Since it was November huge patches of snow dotted the landscape. "So how have you been?" Glenn asked all of a sudden. "What kind of question it that? We've been together all these months." Gabrielle inquired taking a sip from a water skin. "I don't know. You've seemed distant when we talk." Glenn said. "Well, I'm fine." Gabrielle told him almost tartly. "You're nervous about Lavos." Glenn accused. "I am not!" Gabrielle snapped hotly. "I.I'm just thinking about my past." Glenn knew that Gabrielle was lying; she was scared to death. "What about your past?" Glenn wanted to know. "You know. Tenotekhan, Zeal. More memories come back to me every day. I remember Magus, Schala, and Queen Zeal. I," she swallowed hard. "I even remember.fall-falling into the ocean. And slamming my head onto a rock when I was washed ashore; loosing my memory." The Amazon girl tried her hardest not to let Glenn see the tears brimming her eyes. "Gabrielle?" "I'm all right." Gabrielle sniffled and turned to Glenn. To her dismay, a tear fell from her eye. "Hey, it's ok." Glenn told her, grabbing her into a hug as the girl burst into tears. "Gabrielle, it's all right. We're going to fight Lavos." He made her look at him. "And we're going to beat him." He said with confidence. "I have a feeling we won't live to tell the tale." Gabrielle wailed as she buried her face into Glenn's shoulder. "What makes you say that?" Glenn asked. "I don't know. Just one of those things." Gabrielle replied distantly. "I just wish it was over." "It will be before you know it." Glenn assured her. "Just try to relax. You can't be tense on the journey up the mountain." "Aren't you nervous?" Gabrielle wanted to know. Glenn cupped her face and brought it to his so he could kiss her. His first kiss was gentle; the next one was passionate. Gabrielle leaned against the willow's trunk and returned all his kisses as he kissed her forehead, cheeks, and lips. They had not been able to be intimate with each other for a long time. Gabrielle's heart was pounding in her chest and she was glad she was sitting or she knew she'd fall. Glenn suddenly stopped kissing her. "What?" Gabrielle inquired. "What's wrong?" "Sorry, I just realized that we're." Glenn murmured. "Making out?" Gabrielle supplied. Glenn laughed. "Yes." "Who cares?" Gabrielle asked. "Now, kiss me again." She ordered playfully. Glenn obeyed with pleasure.  
  
* * * "Where'd Glenn and Gabrielle say they were going?" Magus wanted to know. Crono, Marle, Magus, and Schala were performing the endless task of mending the horses' tack in Gabrielle's cabin. "They went to a stream to have lunch there." Schala replied. She wrestled with the leather in her hands trying to keep it in place as she stitched it back together. "This is definitely an Amazon's job." She muttered. "I don't see how those two can be outside." Marle said huddling in her coat. "It's freezing." "It's a mystery." Crono said. "Where're Lucca and Robo?" "They went up a ways to see the conditions of the mountain, they'll be back by mid-afternoon they said." Magus answered. He cursed when he jabbed his thumb with the needle. In the distance suddenly there was a deep rumble. Schala noticed it first. She grabbed Magus's arm. "D'you hear that?" she inquired. "Hear what?" Marle wanted to know. The rumble was heard a second time only louder. This time they all could hear it. Even Glenn and Gabrielle. "Did you hear that?" Gabrielle asked. Glenn jerked up and stood. Gabrielle stood as well; she just realized how cold it was. Their breath formed clouds before them and snow was everywhere. "I did." Glenn replied, looking around. "What was that?" The rumble reminded Gabrielle of what happened four years ago when she was a new Amazon. The Black Omen had created waves in the earth making avalanches happen extremely often. Gabrielle gasped. "Avalanche!" She cried. "It's an avalanche!" She closed her eyes and tuned her ears to hear the next rumble. "Yes, it's an avalanche!" a sickening dread filled her stomach. Last an avalanche came, she got buried under ten feet of snow. She was lucky that a group of Amazons was there and saved her. "We have to get back to the village!" Glenn told her. He began to gather their stuff quickly and bundled the blanket and threw it over his shoulder.  
  
"There's no time, c'mon!" Gabrielle yelled. Glenn kept the blanket but hurled the pack down and grabbed Gabrielle's hand. They sprinted as fast as they could. Taking the route they had taken to get to the stream, it crossed a sloping hill. Crossing it at the middle, they went for the small, wide cliff. After they'd climb it, there was the trail to the village. "Look!" Gabrielle shouted. Her eyes were the size of saucers as she pointed. An enormous shelf of snow was plummeting off a cliff of the mountain. Before the couple was a huge hill. The avalanche would plunge down this hill and take them with it if they didn't act now. 


	2. Avalanche

Chapter Two: Avalanche "Oh gods, Gab.RUN!" Glenn shouted. Safety lay fifty feet away in the small cliff. It was very high but not too high to climb. The snow had just hit the summit of the hill and was plummeting downward when they broke into sprints. Gabrielle felt the snow under her foot slip. She fell to her knee; Glenn yanked her back up. Taking a look at the avalanche, Glenn saw that it was forty-five feet away. Glenn leaped for the cliff and grabbed for some foot and hand holes. They desperately hurried to beat the tidal wave of snow that would crush them against the cliff if they didn't hurry. It was now thirty feet away. Gabrielle's feet slipped under the rock and she fell to the snow covered ground. "Gabrielle!" Glenn shouted. He took the blanket off his shoulder and threw one end down. "Grab for this." He ordered. Gabrielle took a flying jump for it and made it. She gripped it and climbed with her feet as Glenn pulled her up. Once Gabrielle was within reach, Glenn grabbed her waist and yanked her toward him and out of the incoming avalanche' way. They scrambled on all fours away from the rushing river of snow. They watched it pass with wide eyes and gasping breath. Suddenly, two forms came into view in the middle of the passing avalanche. Glenn recognized them immediately. "Lucca, Robo!" he bellowed. He rushed to the edge of the cliff. A glint of gold flashed and a hand poked out. "Oh gods!" Gabrielle cried when she saw them. "Where's the avalanche going?" "See that wall of rocks?" Glenn asked, pointing. "Yeah, the Samarans made that. That was a former village of theirs." Gabrielle said. "It's supposed to protect them from avalanches." "Let's hope they don't slam into it." Glenn said. "C'mon!" they ran down the lower trail down the to base of the hill. Once the avalanche stopped at the wall (some had escaped the wall but most was contained) they rushed to find Lucca and Robo. "ROBO! LUCCA!" Glenn roared. The snow Glenn was standing on suddenly gave way. He cried out then cried out again only this in pain. Gabrielle rushed to unbury him. "Glenn?" "I found Robo!" he wheezed. Gabrielle reached out her hand and helped Glenn out of the hole of snow. After several minutes of digging, they uncovered the robot and found Lucca a few feet next to him. She was unconscious. "How are we going to get them home?" Gabrielle asked. "We need help." Glenn told her. A familiar squawk echoed down the hill. Midnight flapped to Gabrielle and perched on her shoulder. "How does that thing know where you are?" Glenn demanded. Gabrielle shrugged. "Midnight. We need help. Go get the others NOW!" she ordered. Midnight flew off squawking loudly. They covered Lucca with the blanket and waited.  
  
* * * "AVALANCHE!" An Amazon shrieked barreling into the village. "There's been an avalanche!" The others ran out of Gabrielle's cabin and went to the screaming Amazon. "Where?" Magus demanded. "North. West of the stream." She said. "It was right there." She pointed to the north. "It was on the hill where most avalanches occur here. We built a wall there to stop them. I hope it worked." Their fear confirmed; Lucca and Robo were probably in the avalanche. Just then, Midnight came in squawking uncontrollably. Magus grabbed the Gryphon with his gloved hands, ignoring the Gryphon pecking him. Midnight wrenched out of Magus's grip and began to fly out of the village. "Maybe he'll lead us to the others." Schala said. "Oh great. Let's follow the insane Gryphon." Crono muttered. They followed Midnight at a run until they reached the wall. Gabrielle and Glenn were freezing by the time they had arrived. Marle gave Gabrielle her coat and Magus gave Glenn his. Magus carried Lucca and Crono, Marle, and Schala together carried Robo back to the village. They sent for healers and they piled Lucca with blankets to get her warm again. "Once she gets warm, she'll be ok." Magus said, as he held her hand. He waited by her cot into the night. At daybreak, Lucca's eyelids fluttered open. "What happened?" Lucca asked thickly when she finally woke up. "An avalanche came and you got sucked into it." Magus told her. Lucca jerked up. "Where's Robo?" she demanded. "Did he make it?" "Yes. He's fine." He replied. "Just rest and tomorrow we start up the mountain. That avalanche was caused by Lavos." Magus said. Magus walked back outside where Gabrielle and Glenn were sitting on a log, talking animatedly. He was almost angry with them for not being with Lucca while she was getting better. He shook it off and walked away from the couple. He looked back and saw them laughing together. Glaring, he turned back and walked away from them. "Hey Magus!" Gabrielle shouted. "What's wrong?" she called. "Nothing." He called back. "I'm fine." Gabrielle shrugged and turned back around to talk to Glenn. Marle went to sit with them, later joined by Crono.  
  
* * * Gabrielle woke up when she felt cold air on her feet. She rearranged her blanket so it covered her feet. Just then she realized it was the middle of the night. She lay on her back and stared at her ceiling until finally she gave up on sleep. Maybe a walk or a ride would settle her. She dressed and as she was slipping on her boots, Glenn woke up. He touched her arm to make her look up from trying her bootlaces. "Where're you going?" he whispered. "Nowhere. I'm just going to take a walk. Go back to sleep, I'll be back." Gabrielle murmured. She carefully stepped over the sleeping bodies of her friends and silently opened her door and tiptoed out. She cried out and jumped. She started to run but Magus grabbed her shirt and dragged her back. She countered by grabbing his hand and twisting left, Magus's arm went behind him and then she kneed him in the stomach. He grunted and grabbed her right arm and let it wrap around his back and flipped her over his hip. She tuck forward rolled as she landed just as he taught her. He smiled despite her snarls and curses. She flipped into an upright stance and charged at Magus; still not knowing it was he. He grabbed the front of her tunic and twisted and kneeled at the same time. The Amazon girl went soaring. "You still never think people are going to counter." Magus remarked dryly. "Magus?" Gabrielle demanded getting up. "Yep." He replied hollowly. "It's me." He grinned when he saw her scowl. "Why were you following me?" Gabrielle demanded hotly. "You scared me out of my wits!" She gave him a sharp punch on the shoulder as she was passing to go. He let her have the punch but grabbed her fist when right after and yanked her back to him. "Let go!" Gabrielle ordered. "No, I have something to talk to you about." Magus forced out. "What?" Gabrielle asked, her tone softening. "Hurry, it's cold out here." She put her hands in her pockets and sighed, making a large cloud form in front of her. "Ok, you know when we were in Zeal?" he asked. "I try to forget." Gabrielle murmured. "But the memories keep trickling into my head." "Yeah, must have been pretty bad." He said. "For you, too." Gabrielle murmured. "I guess, well, I've fought Lavos. It's not something I'm really looking forward to doing again." He looked down. "We have to though. And if that's what has to be done, then so be it." Gabrielle retorted. "Sorry, I really should say something like that cause I've never fought Lavos." Every time she heard that name, she wanted to scream. "It's all right. I thought the same thing before. But, this time we have nine people, and all of us are going into battle." Magus pointed out. Gabrielle paused before she said, "Yeah." "You're not scared are you?" Magus inquired. "Of course I am!" The Amazon snapped. "What d'you want me say? Something insightful? All I know is that I'm going to fight a creature that killed thousands of my people and my parents. And this creature is the creature that is going to destroy the world!" She turned on her heel and stormed off. "Gab.wait." Magus called. "I didn't mean for you to get upset, ok? I talked to Glenn and he said you're a bit nervous. I'm.I'm sorry." Gabrielle heaved a sigh, sending a cloud before her, "It's all right. I'm just really edgy." "It'll turn out ok." Magus said, uncharacteristically soft. "C'mon, let's get out of this cold." Gabrielle shivered. "Race you?" "Oh, c'mon, you never beat me in Zeal, what makes you think you'll beat me now?" Gabrielle inquired. "You never know what happens to people when they grow up." "You're on." Gabrielle grinned. She sprinted in the snow sending it flying behind her. Magus caught up with her instantly. The rest was a blur until they both slammed into the door, trying to get to it first. They were cracking up, which was an odd thing for Magus to be doing. Forgetting everyone was sleeping they let the door slam. Glenn sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Have a nice.run?" he inquired sleepily. "Ahuh, just peachy." Gabrielle murmured, ripping off her boots. She was still giggling. "Magus and I raced to the cabin." "Yeah, and I won." "You did not!" Gabrielle hissed. "I did so!" Magus retorted. "Hey!" Crono called from the other side of the cabin. "Keep it down, normal humans are trying to sleep." "Sorry." They murmured. Settling into her bedroll, Gabrielle felt better about the upcoming bout. She dreamt of the gang gloriously beating Lavos.  
  
* * * "UP!" Ayla bellowed. Crono jerked up with a yell. "We climb! We go fight Lavos!" she shouted. She was already dressed in Amazon snow gear. "Ayla," Gabrielle groaned. She looked out one of her small windows. "It's not even dawn." "We go NOW!" she snapped. Gabrielle blearily led them to the armory where the snow gear was held. First went on their clothes, then they put on wool pants and shirts. Next came fleece lined leather trousers and jackets. Everyone but Magus and Robo added a vest filled with goose down. Snow goggles, snowshoes, and gloves went on last. Magus grabbed an ax with a special blade for ice. Gabrielle snatched headscarves off the hooks and rushed back to the girls and helped them arrange them on their heads. "Can you still breathe?" Schala asked when she arranged Gabrielle's scarf to cover her mouth and nose. "Yes." Gabrielle answered. "Thanks." "Amazons packed for us." Ayla told them. "Here, everyone have a pack." She pointed to the large canvas packs on the floor. Gabrielle went to pick up the one with a Gryphon on it: she knew it was hers. When she picked it up, she dropped it. It was heavy! Glenn was there; he helped her put it on her back and caught her and she stumbled backward. They smiled at each other and Gabrielle helped the knight put his pack on. "Thanks." He murmured.  
  
* * * The party assembled before the trail that led up the mountain and waved goodbye to the Amazons. The girl Danelari's mother was made temporary chief until Gabriele returned; she had been made temporary chief when Gabrielle left for the future. "All set?" Crono asked his goggles hanging around his neck. Everyone nodded in turn and they began to hike up the trail. Here the snow was only ankle deep but they knew the snow would only get deeper. They were silent for the first few hours, concentrating on getting through the now knee high snow. Lucca and Robo had etched symbols into trees, logs, and in the snow itself. "We're almost a fourth the way up." Robo announced. "I think we should make camp. It's almost dark." Inside Crono's pack was a large tent. They set it up together and saw it would barely fit all of them in it. "It'll be warmer all crammed together." Marle murmured. Gabrielle rummaged through her pack. She saw the olive green canvas she desperately hoped was in there. "Look!" she exclaimed. "Another tent!" She yanked it out and the girls set it up with brisk efficiency. "See, now we have two tents." Gabrielle told them wiping the sweat off her forehead with her coat sleeve. "Huzzah, now let's go to bed." Glenn said dryly. Gabrielle climbed into the tent that was in her pack, she smiled when Glenn followed her. Ayla and Schala came after Glenn. They settled into their fur-lined bedrolls and bade each other goodnight. The night became very cold and when the four woke up, they were all squashed together; it was awkward but warm. "Could we please just sleep in?" Gabrielle wanted to know, climbing out of the tent. "Not if you want to get up this mountain." Crono said, catching her as she stumbled over the threshold of the tent. "Let's pack up." Lucca said sleepily. As Gabrielle slid the last stake into the bag that Ayla held, she noticed the amount of mountain they still needed to climb. It was a small mountain by some standards but it wasn't a mere hill. They hiked down the trail until they had to begin to actually ascend some steep slopes. Crono hurled up a rope with a triple hook on it. It fastened to the cliff on top and they climbed the rope two at a time. When they all reached the top, Crono coiled the rope and put them back in his pack. After fifteen minutes, snow began to fall. At first it was flurrying but then snow began to fall more thickly and quicker. They all pulled up their goggles that kept the snow out of their eyes. Soon the snow got so thick that they took lengths of rope and tied them to each other so they could stay together. They couldn't tell if it was night or day when they began to tire but they kept going. They began to create hand signals to keep them from having to bellow over the howling wind. Crono led them with Marle right after him. Lucca and Robo were next, Gabrielle and Glenn, then Schala, Magus, and Ayla brought up the rear. The party became extremely fortunate when they found a small cave and decided to make camp inside it. Magus stood next to Gabrielle only because he was pushed there by Ayla taking off her pack. When Gabrielle took hers off, she made sure she hit the wizard. "Watch where you swing that thing!" Magus barked. "Well, you shouldn't stand right next to me!" Gabrielle retorted scornfully. "I got pushed here, you could have waited before you whacked me!" Magus snarled. "You know-" Gabrielle was about to snap but was interrupted by Crono. "HHHHHEEEEEYYYYY!!!!!!!!" He bellowed. "What the hell is wrong with you guys?" he demanded, yanking off his headscarf. "Sorry, I'm just really tired." Gabrielle sighed. "Me too, I guess." Magus put in. "Sheesh guys." Crono muttered. "Just relax. If we're going to be like this the whole trip, we're going to kill each other by the time we get to Lavos." "On the contrary, Crono." Robo said. "We'll be there in no time. We're making excellent progress." "Let's get some food, I'm starving." Marle announced breaking the silence. Dinner was prepared and they all gathered around the big-banked fire. Afterward they played charades and made shadow puppets to entertain themselves. Gabrielle guessed Schala's interpretation of a time warp in Epoch, which made Gab's team, Glenn, Ayla, and Magus leap up. "That gives Lady Gabrielle's team twelve points. Princess Marle's team has ten." "Yes!" Gabrielle cried. "Ok, our turn." "I got one." Magus said and walked up to the front of the fire. He began to wave his hands around his ears and roar like an awakening Gargoyle. "Uh." "Oh." "Huh?" "What the?" "You don't know?" Magus inquired. "Here, I'll do it again." He repeated the motion. "We don't.know." Crono told him. Gabrielle yelped and started squirming around grinning ear to ear; she knew what it was. "I know! I know!" she squealed. "Lady Gabrielle may answer." Robo announced. "The birth of Altika." Gabrielle told him. "That's it!" Magus cried. "We won! First team to thirteen!" Gabrielle shouted. She leaped up and Magus caught her. He swung her around as she struck a pose with her arms. "Whose Altika?" Schala wanted to know. "It rings a bell but I still don't remember it." "Altika, goddess of pain of suffering, who was born out of Galau's head." Magus said as if from a textbook. "She's a Tenotekhan goddess." He explained to his still-confused friends. "I can't believe you remembered that!" Gabrielle cried. "Well, I did!" They hugged warmly. They played another game then hit the sack. When Gabrielle arranged her bedroll next to Glenn's he gave her a look that made her frown. "What's wrong?" she wondered. Glenn did the same reenactment of Altika's birth that Magus did. "Huh?" "You and Magus are getting really close." Glenn said. "So? We're friends." Gabrielle replied. "But." Glenn fished for a response. "Glenn, you have nothing to worry about." Gabrielle assured him, she was kneeling on hers. "I love you." She grabbed his hand and held it in both of hers. "I love you, too." Glenn told her, putting his hand under her ear and pulling her face to his. They kissed passionately until Crono and Marle came to prepare their own beds. Glenn winked at her as she hastily wriggled into her own bedroll. They kissed one final time goodnight then Gabrielle turned around to look the other way. Marle was looking at her. The princess's smile was visible thanks to the banked fire. Marle threw her covers over her and snuggled closer to Crono. 


	3. Up the Mountain

Chapter Three: Up the Mountain Lucca woke up when Robo shook her shoulder. She clumsily put her glasses on and slid out of her bedroll. She looked at all the blanketed forms around the cave and sighed. "Hey!" she cried. "Everyone wake up!" Gabrielle just groaned. Crono threw his pillow at her. Marle didn't even move. Schala did a hiss-sounding thing and got into a tighter ball. Glenn moaned and rolled his eyes. Magus was at the very back of the cave and didn't even twitch. "Just a few more minutes?" Crono inquired. Lucca lobbed his pillow back at him right when he sat up. It hit him right in the face. "Lucca and I created a schedule and we must stick to it. If we do, we'll be to the top in two days." Robo told them. "That's just peachy." Gabrielle growled yanking her pillow out from her head and let it drop onto her face. "What would a day's delay hurt?" she wanted to know, her voice barely audible. Glenn pushed the pillow off of her face and gave a feather soft kiss on her mouth. "Oh, fine!" she cried. They dressed and put on their packs again and set out on the trail. The blizzard the night before had diminished to flurries and the group was in a better mood after a moving breakfast. Ayla opened her mouth to catch some flurries in her mouth. Glenn passed Gabrielle another turnover filled with cherries that had been heated over the fire. She murmured her thanks and took a huge bite. They kept walking until midday and stopped for their first lunch in two days. They found a flat area where the snow was only ankle deep. Crono and Magus had gone ice fishing and they roasted the fish over a fire for lunch. After lunch, Robo informed them that only seven hundred thirty miles separated them from the summit of the mountain. "Only?" Gabrielle inquired. "We've half way." Robo replied. "We've made excellent time." They finished lunch and made great distance; Robo said that they covered a third more distance than expected. "Maybe it's from the extra food." Marle suggested. They continued up until they couldn't go another step. Luck was with them again; another cave was on their route. They camped there and decided to relax after all the camping chores were done. Crono and Marle leaned against a stalagmite and talked. Marle sighed and looked upward. "I wish this was over." She murmured. "Hey, don't worry it'll be over before you know it." He assured her. "With nine of us, Lavos'll be a piece of cake." "You do know what we were talking about before all this happened." Marle told him. "You know? Before we met Gabrielle?" They both know very well that they were gathering up the courage to tell Marle's father that they wanted to marry each other. "Yes.I do." Crono replied not looking at her. "I don't think this is the right time to be thinking about that." "Why not?" "We have to deal with this first." Crono said patting her hand. "Hey, if we enough courage to fight Lavos we could tell your father we want to get married." Crono said. Marle laughed. She scooted closer to Crono until he was forced to lift his arm and put it around her. She rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes.  
  
* * * They woke at dawn and had a quick breakfast and left the cave. Crono was determined to get up the mountain quickly so they could fight Lavos and get back down the mountain so Marle and him could sort out the marriage business. "Only three hundred and fifty feet left!" Robo exclaimed. "Maybe we could slow the pace and take the last fourth slowly." "No, I just want to get this done." Crono looked at Marle. "So we can think about other things." She smiled. "How can you think of anything besides us preventing the apocalypse?" Robo wanted to know. Lucca knew and grinned. They had a leisure lunch and then continued at a more strenuous pace that made even Crono lag. About an hour into their demanding hike, a snowstorm was dropped onto them making it even harder. They stopped to tie ropes onto themselves. Crono made sure that the rope was secure on his wrist and on Marle's then walked. Marle barely felt it when it came loose. On the other wrist Crono had a rope attaching to Glenn and Gabrielle. Magus, Ayla, and Schala were tied to the knights and Lucca and Robo behind them and on the other side of them was Marle. Only she was walking absently in a completely different direction! Crono noticed it when he looked back about ten minutes later. They were just a line, not the circle he intended to make. He stopped and Glenn bumped into him. "Sorry!" Glenn shouted. Crono nodded. "Where's Marle?" Crono bellowed. Gabrielle looked and saw nothing. "She got separated from us!" Gabrielle cried. The news rippled through the line: Marle was gone!  
  
* * *  
  
"Where could she be?" Crono demanded. "I mean, oh gods! How could I have not noticed the rope? Gods! She's out in the blizzard-" he paced frantically nearly crying as he ranted. Gabrielle stopped him with an arm. "Crono!" she cried. "We are going to find her," she said slowly. "Robo can search for her, can't he?" "I could attempt to do so." Robo said. He made a bunch of clicking noises and hums and beeps. "I read something! Southwest from here!" Crono almost got away but Glenn and Gabrielle grabbed the back of his coat and yanked him back. "Let me go!" he commanded. "I'm going to find her!" They looked back at Robo. He gave a tiny nod. The snow had diminished and the wind had stopped. They reluctantly let go of Crono and watched him leave.  
  
* * * Marle cursed as she slipped and fell flat on her face. She groaned and got up; her arm was throbbing. She noticed the snow had lessened and the wind stopped. She yanked down her goggles and looked around her. Why did she have to loose everyone? Where WAS everyone? Before her was a bluff that rose above her head. She decided not to climb it and turned around. She hiked forward; a blast of raw wind came out of nowhere and drove the girl to her knees. She winced and put her gloved hands to her face to protect it from the blast. Crono was only a hundred feet away and felt the wind too. He flinched and held in place until the wind receded. He cupped his hands and shouted, "Marle!" Marle heard him and her ears perked up. She spun around and saw no one. Crono turned around the yell for Marle again. She heard it again and knew it was Crono immediately. "Crono!" she yelled. Crono heard her and ran toward the voice. A pile of boulders separated them. Marle heard Crono on the other side of the boulders. Sore arm or no; she was going to climb the boulders. She did so and saw Crono on the other side making his own journey. She rushed down the boulders and leaped the rest of the way into Crono's arms. "Where the hell were you guys?" Marle demanded. "We found a cave. But earlier we saw you were gone and I went to find you." Crono told her. Crono kept his arm around her shoulders as they walked back to the cave. "I hate snow." Marle murmured when she slipped again. Crono chuckled and helped her up. They finally reached the cave, and Marle kneeled by the fire to get warm. Gabrielle gave Marle her blanket. They all except for one fell into deep dreamless slumbers. Schala, however, was tossing and turning not being able to sleep. This is way too easy for Lavos's doing. She thought. There has to be some kind of catch. She finally fell into a restless sleep. She jerked awake when she heard rock collapsing. Their fire had gotten out of hand and was burning her bedroll. She yelped and slid out of it. The others still slept. She screamed at them to wake up but they wouldn't. A freezing cold hand grabbed the back of her neck. She spun and saw what had grabbed her. It looked like an ogre with mud brown skin that looked like it was made out of mud. His eyes were deep set and set forward like a predator's. It wore undyed breeches and boots and that's it. It shouted one word and the ground before them gave way and a huge porcupine like creature began to come out. Schala shrieked and jumped back so she wouldn't fall into the crater being made by Lavos. The ground under her crumbled and with a scream, Schala plunged into the crater. She woke up in a cold sweat, screaming. Gabrielle jerked awake and looked at Schala. "Are you all right?" she asked. "Yeah, just a bad dream." Schala whispered. "I'm fine now." She settled back down and tried to go back to sleep but couldn't. She stayed awake the rest of the night.  
  
* * * Once the first rays of light hit the cave, they awoke and ate breakfast. Robo said that only one hundred and seventy nine feet was left. Gabrielle hiked next to Glenn and they talked animatedly about the things they were going to do when Lavos was done. To the group's surprise, marriage was not one of them. "The Amazons of the North Tree are going to be so mad to know that an East Amazon beat Lavos!" Gabrielle whooped. "I'm going to rub it in their faces!" The girl's anxiety was clearly gone. "The Manesh are going to be mad too." Glenn pointed out. Gabrielle threw her head back and laughed. "Oh, I can't wait!" Gabrielle cried.  
  
* * * They camped that night and woke again with Robo telling them that they would make it to the summit today. Gabrielle was the first one ready when it was the opposite during the journey. Gabrielle protested when they stopped for lunch. "But Robo says we only have hundred and ten feet left!" she cried. She grabbed three cold rolls and her bow and quiver; maybe she could get some more rations for their next stop. She walked up the trail a bit; up the thin and windy trail surrounded by rock walls, she saw the entrance to a huge cave. It was bigger than any of the ones they had camped in. "What's in there?" she wondered to herself. She walked to the entrance, taking a big bite of a roll the others she stashed in her pocket. She peered inside the cave and saw movement. "Hello?" she called, through another mouthful of roll. The things that were in the cave jerked; Gabrielle's eyes widened as an ogre looking creature approached her. The creature looked her over and nodded after a few seconds. It went back into the cave and when it came back it had three more creatures in tow. Gabrielle could barely scream before she was grabbed and hauled into the cave. Unlike humans, these creatures were three times stronger, making escape impossible. One held a muddy brown hand over her mouth, muffling her shrieks to pitiful squeaks. Her longbow and quiver she had on each shoulder crashed to the ground. The quiver's contents spilled all over the trail and her bow snapped when one of the creatures stepped on it as it fell. Back at camp, the group was enjoying their lunch when Glenn noticed Gabrielle hadn't returned. Lucca had seen her leave and told him where she had gone. Following the trail Gabrielle followed he saw the cave. He saw Gabrielle's flowing auburn hair wave around and the arms of her red shirt waving frantically. He dashed down the trail and got there just in time to nearly catch an arrow shot by one of the creatures from his own crossbow. It grazed his shoulder making Glenn jerk back and retreat slightly. He went around a boulder and peered around it to watch what was happening. "Let me go!" Gabrielle snarled. "She's no use to us." One of them complained. "I say we kill her." "She'll be worth plenty when we get her to the FireWraths." The one holding Gabrielle around the torso told him. The Amazon girl struggled madly. She finally hit the creature between the legs making him release her and groan. Gabrielle gunned it for the trail and saw Glenn. "Glenn!" she cried. "Run!" she ordered. The creature regained his posture and snatched Gabrielle around the waist in an iron grip. "Go get help! Hurry!" Glenn hesitated, and then reluctantly sprinted down the trail to the others. "The FireWraths better give us a good price for her." The one who told them to kill her muttered. "Oh, they will." Gabrielle's captor retorted. "This one's fiery and strong. They'll have fun with her." He said. "We'll get triple for her what we got for that other Amazon." "This one's an Amazon?" "Oh yeah. Amazons are always the ones with the spirit and strength." He replied. Meanwhile, Glenn was dashing into camp nearly plowing Schala. He shouted out that help was needed and they all sprinted up the trail. Gabrielle was still fighting the creature with all her strength. "What is that?" Marle asked. Schala recognized it immediately. It was the creatures in her dream! "Oh gods!" Schala screamed. "Gabrielle!" "You want her?" the creature inquired. "Then go to the FireWraths and buy her back. But she won't be the same, if you know what I mean." Glenn charged only to be knocked up side his head by the creature's humungous hand. Gabrielle elbowed the creature in the ribs. "I've had enough!" the creature shouted. He threw Gabrielle down and produced a silver powder from a pouch on his belt. He threw it over him and he vanished in a flash of silver light. A voice echoed, "Kill them." 


End file.
